Re: Pure Land Resources

Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 1:05 am

by Serenity509

Thank you for sharing the article. This is my favorite part of it:

Based on the materials reviewed above, it is now clear that there is no
need to appeal to “foreign influences” or “non-Buddhist borrowings” to
explain the rise of devotion to Amitåbha in India. On the contrary, we can
see the emergence of his cult as the result of an ongoing process of
reflection—heavily informed, to be sure, by an ongoing series of visions
reported by certain religious virtuosi—taking place within the Buddhist
community itself.http://www3.nccu.edu.tw/~ckeng/doc/Nattier_PureLand.pdf

By tracking its historical development, we can hopefully see that Pure Land isn't a deviation from or aberration of Buddhism. Pure Land is Buddhism. It is not a separate sect or school of Buddhism, though there are sects and schools that practice Pure Land practice. From an honest historical perspective, Pure Land Buddhism is inseparable from Buddhism itself.

Re: Pure Land Resources

Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 10:57 am

by Serenity509

We must not forget that ancient India was an oral culture, and important religious texts such as the Rigveda were passed down for hundreds of years before taking a written form.

Re: Tendai & TienTai Resources

Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 2:17 pm

by Seishin

The main Tendai Shu website have updated their page and added some youtube videos (sound only)

Re: Pure Land Resources

Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2015 4:42 pm

by Monlam Tharchin

Good news regarding the Amitabha Terre Pure site. I sent them an offer to translate articles into English, and they've agreed to post whatever I can get done. I've begun work on the introductory pages. Translating is slow work, but I'll update here again when there's enough material in English to warrant a post.

Re: Pure Land Resources

Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2015 10:28 pm

by Admin_PC

janpeterotto wrote:Hi all friends in the dharma -- in my country, Sweden, few know about the Pure Land. But here is a valuable resource for those who happen to have swedish as their native language, or know it anyway:

The Mahaparinibbana sutta has tons of goodies:http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .vaji.html
Part 1 verse 31 - Buddha talks about making offerings to devas and how it will bring good fortune.
Part 4 verse 56 - Cunda is promised heavenly birth (and other things) for offering the last meal to the Tathagata, aludes to the fact that other meals offered are also meritorious.
Part 5 verse 22 - Dying on a pilgrimage (with a heart established in faith) to a Buddhist holy site leads to birth in heaven.
Part 5 verse 24-31 - Buddha talks about how the householders should venerate him (but the monks should focus on practice) and that if they do venerate him (at a stupa) and have faith, they will be reborn in heaven.

3 Marks of Existence:
1. Impermanence (Anicca) - Pure Land practice focuses on the fact that life is short and that this Saha world is unstable.
2. Suffering (Dukkha) - Pure Land practice focuses on the fact that the unstable nature of this Saha world leads to anguish.
3. Non-self (Anatman) - Pure Land doctrine teaches practitioners to recognize that they are foolish beings, riddled with afflictive/destructive emotions (kileshas), and ultimately unreliable.

3 Fold practice:
1. Ethics (Sila) - Pure Land teaches Buddhist ethics, but takes it one step further and emphasizes how as hard as we try, we can't follow them perfectly. This teaches the remorse for the unskillful nature of the practitioner that minimizes the negative karmic fruits of actions.
2. Mental training (Samadhi) - This is achieved through recitation of the Nembutsu.
3. Wisdom (Panna) - This is reserved as a fruit of the Pure Land practice: seeing the Buddha, learning from him, and knowing the minds of all Buddhas.

4 Noble Truths:
1. The Truth of Suffering (Dukkha) - Pure Land practice focuses on the fact that the unstable nature of this Saha world leads to anguish.
2. The Truth of Origin of Suffering (Samudaya) - Pure Land doctrine teaches practitioners to recognize their foolish nature, to realize how they are riddled with afflictive emotions (kileshas), and to understand that the cause is due to the 3 poisons of craving, aversion, and ignorance.
3. The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering (Nirodha) - Pure Land doctrine teaches that practitioners will escape suffering and lead others to escape suffering once they are born in the Pure Land, become bodhisattvas & Buddhas, and are free of the 3 poisons.
4. The Truth of the Path to the Cessation of Suffering (Magga) - Pure Land teaches that the path to escape suffering is (in this life) arrived at through the practice of the Nembutsu.

8 Fold Path:
1. Right Understanding(sammā diṭṭhi, S. samyag-dṛṣṭi) - Understanding that we are limited beings, that this world is temporary, that karmic actions have results, and understanding that the only way out is through the Dharma.
2. Right Intention (sammā saṅkappa, S. samyak-saṃkalpa) - The intention to escape suffering by going to the Pure Land, to become a Buddha (developing relative bodhicitta), and to continue the work by helping others escape suffering.
3. Right Speech (sammā vācā, S. samyag-vāc) - Recitation of the Nembutsu. Reciting the Name of the Buddha is considered the highest form of Right Speech.
4. Right Action (sammā kammanta, S. samyak-karmānta) - Recitation of the Nembutsu. Reciting the Name of the Buddha is considered the highest form of Right Action.
5. Right Livelihood (sammā ājīva, S. samyag-ājīva) - The Pure Land take on this is that our karma in the past has led to our current conditions and if we cannot avoid doing jobs that are in violation of Right Livelihood, at least understanding remorse for it and knowing that it is temporary for this lifetime.
6. Right Energy (sammā vāyāma, S. samyag-vyāyāma) - Pure Land practice is to be done with energy (viriya).
7. Right Mindfulness (sammā sati, S. samyak-smṛti) - Mindfulness of the Buddha (literal translation of Nembutsu) is considered the highest form of Right Mindfulness.
8. Right Unification (sammā samādhi, S. samyak-samādhi) - Pure Land aspires for Mindfulness of the Buddha Samadhi (Nembutsu Sanmai), the state at which one sees the Pure Land, sees the Buddha, and ultimately learns the mind of all Buddhas. Also can be achieved by the natural outpouring of compassion & skillful qualities once unshakable faith has been established.

The 37 limbs of Enlightenment:
The 37 limbs of Enlightenment are referenced explicitly in the Shorter Sukhavati Sutra.
- The Four Establishments of Mindfulness:
- 1. Mindfulness of the body (kāyānupassanā, S. kayānupasthāna) - Mindfulness of the body of the Buddha & the attributes of the Pure Land. In Pure Land vipassana = visualizing the Buddha. Pure Land also involves being mindful that this life & this body are temporary.
- 2. Mindfulness of feelings (vedanānupassanā, S. vedanānupasthāna) - Mindfulness of the great compassion of the Buddha (like a parent) & the qualities of the Pure Land. Pure Land also involves being mindful of the unskillful states of our mind, riddled with afflictive emotions (kileshas).
- 3. Mindfulness of mental states (cittānupassanā, S. cittanupasthāna) - Mindfulness of the wisdom of the Buddha & certain qualities of the Pure Land. Inherent in this is the mindfulness of being able to view the Pure Land and the Buddha. Pure Land also involves being mindful of the restless nature of our monkey minds while we recite.
- 4. Mindfulness of mental qualities (dhammānupassanā, S. dharmanupasthāna) - Mindfulness of the various qualities of the Buddha & the Pure Land, including wisdom & compassion. Pure Land also involves being mindful of the limited, worldly nature of many of our qualities.

- Four right exertions
- 1. Exertion for the preventing of unskillful states to arise - Achieved during Nembutsu (especially during Nembutsu Samadhi), but also the realization that we are unskillful in body, speech, and mind. Also can be achieved by the natural outpouring of compassion & skillful qualities once unshakable faith has been established.
- 2. Exertion for the abandoning of the already arisen unskillful states - Achieved during Nembutsu (especially during Nembutsu Samadhi), but also learning to lament that we are unskillful in body, speech, and mind. Also can be achieved by the natural outpouring of compassion & skillful qualities once unshakable faith has been established.
- 3. Exertion for the arising of skillful states - Achieved during Nembutsu (especially during Nembutsu Samadhi), but also learning that as limited, foolish beings, that we should feel gratitude of the compassion of the Buddha. Also can be achieved by the natural outpouring of compassion & skillful qualities once unshakable faith has been established.
- 4. Exertion for the sustaining and increasing of arisen skillful states - Achieved during Nembutsu (especially during Nembutsu Samadhi), but also through continuous Nembutsu throughout one's life. Also can be achieved by the natural outpouring of compassion & skillful qualities once unshakable faith has been established.

- Four bases of power
- 1. Will (chanda, S. chanda) - the single-minded desire to be born in the Pure Land.
- 2. Energy (viriya, S. virya) - reciting the Nembutsu energetically.
- 3. Consciousness (citta, S. citta) - aspiring for birth in the Pure Land to become a Buddha, developing bodhicitta.
- 4. Examination (vīmaṁsa or vīmaŋsā, S. mimāṃsā) - examination of our own limited qualities as foolish beings, as well as the qualities of the Buddha and the Pure Land.

- Five faculties
- 1. Conviction (saddhā, S. śraddā) - Faith in the 18th Vow for birth in the Pure Land and in the wisdom & compassion of the Buddhas.
- 2. Energy (viriya, s. virya) - Energetically reciting the Nembutsu
- 3. Mindfulness (sati, S. smṛti) - Mindfulness of the Buddha through Nembutsu
- 4. Unification (samādhi, S. samādhi) - Nembutsu Samadhi, seeing the Pure Land, seeing the Buddha, and gaining wisdom. Unshakable faith is also sometimes referred to as a form of samadhi.
- 5. Wisdom (panna, S. prajñā) - Wisdom in the Pure Land sense means relying on the pure wisdom of the Buddha and not seeking personal happiness, but aspiring towards non-retrogression on the path to Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings.

- Five powers
- Culmination of the 5 faculties above

- Seven factors of Enlightenment
- 1. Mindfulness (sati, S. smṛti) - Mindfulness of the Buddha is considered the highest form of Mindfulness.
- 2. Investigation (dhamma vicaya, S. dharmapravicaya) - Reading & reciting the sutras & commentaries.
- 3. Energy (viriya, S. virya) - Energetically reciting the Nembutsu throughout one's life.
- 4. Joy (pīti, S. prīti) - One thought moment of joy at hearing about the vows of Amida and following the Pure Land path mentioned in the Larger Sutra. Achieved once one establishes unshakable faith.
- 5. Tranquillity (passaddhi, S. praśrabdhi) - Achieved temporarily through Nembutsu, established in one's life through unshakable faith (accompanied by gratitude), and culminated in the Pure Land when one becomes a Buddha/bodhisattva.
- 6. Unification (samadhi, S. samādhi) - Nembutsu Samadhi achieved through recitation of Nembutsu.
- 7. Equanimity (upekkhā, S. upekṣā) - Achieved temporarily through Nembutsu, established in one's life through unshakable faith (accompanied by gratitude), and culminated in the Pure Land when one becomes a Buddha/bodhisattva. Also achieved when one realizes one's foolish nature as a being bound by afflictions (kileshas), that one is no better than anyone else, and that through receiving the compassion of the Buddha - all sentient beings are deserving of such compassion.

- Noble 8 Fold Path
- Described above.

Meditation
1. Single pointed Concentration (Samatha) - Vasubandhu & ShanTao describe single-pointed concentration in Pure Land as the single-minded desire for birth in the Pure Land. In practice, this concentration can be achieved through constant and continuous recitation of the Nembutsu.
2. Insight Meditation (Vipassanā) - Vasubandhu defines insight meditation in Pure Land as visualization of the adornments of the Pure Land and of Amitabha Buddha.

Kasina Meditation
There are 10 basic visual objects of meditation:
1. earth (paṭhavī kasiṇa) - part of the visualization in the Shorter Sukhavati Sutra, the Larger Sukhavati Sutra, and the 3rd visualization in the Visualization sutra.
2. water (āpo kasiṇa) - part of the visualization in the Shorter Sukhavati Sutra, the Larger Sukhavati Sutra, and the 2nd & 5th visualizations in the Visualization sutra.
3. fire (tejo kasiṇa) - part of the 4th visualization in the Visualization sutra. Shows up in the 2nd fascicle of the Larger Sukhavati Sutra, regarding the 5 evils and 5 virtues.
4. air, wind (vāyo kasiṇa) - part of the visualization in the Shorter Sukhavati Sutra, the Larger Sukhavati Sutra, and the latter part of the 3rd visualization in the Visualization sutra.
5. blue, green (nīla kasiṇa) - part of the visualization in the Shorter Sukhavati Sutra (the flowers), the Larger Sukhavati Sutra, and the 2nd, 3rd, and 9th visualizations in the Visualization sutra.
6. yellow (pīta kasiṇa) - part of the visualization in the Shorter Sukhavati Sutra (the flowers), the Larger Sukhavati Sutra, and the 5th visualization in the Visualization sutra.
7. red (lohita kasiṇa) - part of the visualization in the Shorter Sukhavati Sutra (the flowers), the Larger Sukhavati Sutra, and the 4th, 10th, and 11th visualizations in the Visualization sutra.
8. white (odāta kasiṇa) - part of the visualization in the Shorter Sukhavati Sutra (the flowers), the Larger Sukhavati Sutra, and the 4th and 9th visualizations in the Visualization sutra.
9. enclosed space, hole, aperture (ākāsa kasiṇa) - part of the 1st visualization in the Visualization sutra.
10. consciousness (viññāṇa kasiṇa) or bright light (āloka kasiṇa) - 8th and 9th visualizations in the Visualization sutra. Bright light is in all 3 sutras.

Re: A helpful mapping

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 5:40 pm

by DGA

This is truly excellent. You have created a very useful resource here.

Would you please sticky this thread to the top of the Pure Land forum?

Re: A helpful mapping

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 6:00 pm

by Admin_PC

Well if you insist.
I just added the Kasina stuff at the end (though I might be able to do a better job of the mapping).

Re: A helpful mapping

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 4:58 pm

by Coëmgenu

Admin_PC wrote:The Mahaparinibbana sutta has tons of goodies:

[...]

Part 5 verse 24-31 - Buddha talks about how the householders should venerate him (but the monks should focus on practice) and that if they do venerate him (at a stupa) and have faith, they will be reborn in heaven.

I can't actually find where is specifies that householders have one set of behaviours and monks another:

24. Then the Venerable Ananda said: "How should we act, Lord, respecting the body of the Tathagata?"

"Do not hinder yourselves, Ananda, to honor the body of the Tathagata. Rather you should strive, Ananda, and be zealous on your own behalf,[46] for your own good. Unflinchingly, ardently, and resolutely you should apply yourselves to your own good. For there are, Ananda, wise nobles, wise brahmans, and wise householders who are devoted to the Tathagata, and it is they who will render the honor to the body of the Tathagata."

25. Then the Venerable Ananda said: "But how, Lord, should they act respecting the body of the Tathagata?"

"After the same manner, Ananda, as towards the body of a universal monarch."[47]

"But how, Lord, do they act respecting the body of a universal monarch?"

26. "The body of a universal monarch, Ananda, is first wrapped round with new linen, and then with teased cotton wool, and so it is done up to five hundred layers of linen and five hundred of cotton wool. When that is done, the body of the universal monarch is placed in an iron[48] oil vessel, which is enclosed in another iron vessel, a funeral pyre is built of all kinds of perfumed woods, and so the body of the universal monarch is burned; and at a crossroads a stupa is raised for the universal monarch. So it is done, Ananda, with the body of a universal monarch. And even, Ananda, as with the body of a universal monarch, so should it be done with the body of the Tathagata; and at a crossroads also a stupa should be raised for the Tathagata. And whosoever shall bring to that place garlands or incense or sandalpaste, or pay reverence, and whose mind becomes calm there — it will be to his well being and happiness for a long time.

27. "There are four persons, Ananda, who are worthy of a stupa. Who are those four? A Tathagata, an Arahant, a Fully Enlightened One is worthy of a stupa; so also is a Paccekabuddha,[49] and a disciple of a Tathagata, and a universal monarch.

28-31. "And why, Ananda, is a Tathagata, an Arahant, a Fully Enlightened One worthy of a stupa? Because, Ananda, at the thought: 'This is the stupa of that Blessed One, Arahant, Fully Enlightened One!' the hearts of many people will be calmed and made happy; and so calmed and with their minds established in faith therein, at the breaking up of the body, after death, they will be reborn in a realm of heavenly happiness. And so also at the thought: 'This is the stupa of that Paccekabuddha!' or 'This is the stupa of a disciple of that Tathagata, Arahant, Fully Enlightened One!' or 'This is the stupa of that righteous monarch who ruled according to Dhamma!' — the hearts of many people are calmed and made happy; and so calmed and with their minds established in faith therein, at the breaking up of the body, after death, they will be reborn in a realm of heavenly happiness. And it is because of this, Ananda, that these four persons are worthy of a stupa."